Full Day
Day Tour
Cusco and the Sacred Valley
Sacred Valley Tour
A full day in the valley below Cusco: Inca terraces, market towns and the stone streets of Ollantaytambo, with a local guide.
Price
On request
Day tours from Cusco
Cusco Day Tours and Day Trips
Day trips from Cusco to the Inca sites of the Sacred Valley, the salt pans of Maras and three of the highest day hikes in the Andes. Compare altitude, walking and time on the road, and plan them in the right order.
Day trips from Cusco
Making the Most of Your Days in Cusco
Most travelers spend a few days in Cusco before or after Machu Picchu, and those days are worth planning with care. The trips around the city fall into two groups. The first is cultural and gentle: the Inca sites and market towns of the Sacred Valley, and the terraces of Moray and the salt pans of Maras on the plateau above it. The second is a set of high-altitude day hikes to Rainbow Mountain, Humantay Lake and the lakes below Ausangate, all well above 4,000 m.
The order matters as much as the choice. Cultural days are ideal for your first days in the Andes, while the high hikes belong later, once your body has had time to adjust. This page compares the options and suggests how to fit them together.
- Day tours
- Five optionsHalf day to full day
- Highest points
- About 3,760–5,000 m12,340–16,400 ft, depending on the trip
- Start and finish
- CuscoBack the same day
- Order
- Culture first, hikes laterHigh hikes after two or three nights
Our day tours
Day Trips From Cusco
Five day trips, from a half day on the plateau to a very early start for a 5,000 m viewpoint.
Inca sites and villages
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Half Day Day TourCusco and the Chinchero plateau
Maras, Moray & Salt Mines
The circular Inca terraces of Moray and the terraced salt pans of Maras, still harvested by local families, on a short trip from Cusco.
Price On request
High-altitude day hikes
Full Day Day HikeCusco to Vinicunca
Rainbow Mountain 1 Day
A short but very high hike to the striped slopes of Vinicunca, at about 5,000 m. An early start, a slow climb and big views of the Vilcanota range.
Price On request
Full Day Day HikeCusco to Humantay Lake
Humantay Lake 1 Day
A steep morning climb to a turquoise glacial lake below Humantay peak, on the Salkantay side of the Andes. A great warm-up before a trek.
Price On request
Full Day Day HikeCusco to Pacchanta and the Ausangate lakes
7 Lakes of Ausangate 1 Day
A full-day loop past glacial lakes of different colors below Ausangate, starting in the highland village of Pacchanta. Quieter than Rainbow Mountain.
Price On request
Side by side
Day Tours Compared
| Tour | Duration | Difficulty | Highest point | Walking | On the road | May suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacred Valley Tour | Full Day | Easy | 3,760 m / 12,336 ft | Two to three hours in short stretches, with stone steps at the sites | A full day of short drives between the valley’s sites | Your first or second day, families, anyone curious about Inca towns |
| Maras, Moray & Salt Mines | Half Day | Easy | 3,760 m / 12,336 ft | About an hour and a half at a gentle pace | Most of a morning and part of the afternoon | A free morning, or an easy outing early in your trip |
| Rainbow Mountain 1 Day | Full Day | Challenging | 5,000 m / 16,404 ft | Three to four hours round trip, with a steep final stretch | About three hours each way, with a very early start | Well-acclimatized travelers set on the famous viewpoint |
| Humantay Lake 1 Day | Full Day | Moderate | 4,200 m / 13,780 ft | About three hours round trip, including a steep climb to the lake | About three hours each way, with a very early start | A warm-up before a trek, after two nights in Cusco |
| 7 Lakes of Ausangate 1 Day | Full Day | Challenging | 4,600 m / 15,092 ft | Five to six hours over rolling high ground | About three hours each way, the last part on a dirt road | Strong walkers who want a quieter high-altitude day |
Planning a few free days in Cusco?
Tell us when you arrive and what you enjoy. We’ll suggest which day trips to take and in what order.
Acclimatize as you go
Plan Them in the Right Order
Cusco sits at about 3,400 m (11,150 ft), and almost everyone feels it for the first day or two. A sensible order looks like this:
- First days: stay gentle. Take your arrival day easy. The Sacred Valley tour is a good first outing because the valley floor sits several hundred meters below Cusco. Maras and Moray, on the plateau at about Cusco’s altitude or a little above it, work well as a half day.
- After two nights: a first high hike. Humantay Lake, at about 4,200 m (13,780 ft), is short and steep, and a good test of how you handle altitude.
- Later in your stay: the highest days. Rainbow Mountain reaches about 5,000 m (16,400 ft), higher than any summit in the lower 48 US states, and the 7 Lakes loop keeps you between about 4,300 and 4,600 m for five or six hours. Both deserve at least two or three nights of acclimatization first.
These hikes are short in distance but not easy. Walk slowly, drink plenty of water and turn back if symptoms get worse. If you have a heart or lung condition, talk to your doctor before planning any of them.
How to choose
Choosing by What You Enjoy
Culture and history
The Sacred Valley tour is the fullest cultural day: Inca terraces at Pisac, the living Inca town of Ollantaytambo and, on many routes, the weaving town of Chinchero. Maras and Moray is shorter and more focused, and shows how the Incas farmed and how salt is still harvested by hand.
Mountain landscapes
For color, Rainbow Mountain’s striped slopes are the draw on a clear morning. For water and ice, Humantay Lake sits turquoise below a glacier. For space and quiet, the 7 Lakes of Ausangate loop passes lake after lake, with alpacas grazing between them and far fewer people than the famous viewpoint.
Time and distance
The cultural trips stay close to Cusco, with short drives between sites. The three high hikes each mean about three hours on the road in each direction and a very early start. If you only have a morning free, Maras and Moray is the one that fits; the others take a full day.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu in a Day
Machu Picchu can also be visited in a single, long day from Cusco by train. It’s a different kind of trip from the ones above, with more time on the road and rails, so we cover it with our other Machu Picchu tours, where you can compare it with the two-day options. If a day trip is what you need, see our Machu Picchu day trip by train.
Families
Day Tours With Children
The Sacred Valley and Maras and Moray are the easiest day trips with kids: plenty to see, short walks and altitudes close to Cusco’s or lower. The high hikes are another matter. Children feel altitude too, and they don’t always say so, so think carefully about Rainbow Mountain, Humantay Lake and the 7 Lakes. Talk with our local team about your children’s ages and experience before you decide, and we’ll help you choose days that work for the whole family.
Questions
Day Tour Questions We Hear Often
Which day tour should I do first?
Start with something gentle, such as the Sacred Valley or Maras and Moray. Leave the high-altitude hikes until you’ve had at least two nights in Cusco, and Rainbow Mountain until later in your stay.
Can I do Rainbow Mountain on my first day in Cusco?
We don’t recommend it. The viewpoint is at about 5,000 m, and most people need two or three nights at Cusco’s altitude before a hike like this feels manageable.
Can I combine Maras and Moray with the Sacred Valley in one day?
Yes. Some Sacred Valley programs swap part of the day for Moray and the Maras salt pans. Tell us what you most want to see and we’ll confirm the stops and their order.
Are entrance tickets included?
It depends on the tour. Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Moray are covered by the Boleto Turístico del Cusco, the Maras salt pans charge their own community fee, and the high hikes have local entrance fees. Your quote shows what’s included.
Which high-altitude hike is the least busy?
The 7 Lakes of Ausangate usually sees far fewer visitors than Rainbow Mountain or Humantay Lake, although it’s a longer day on your feet.
What should I bring on a high-altitude day hike?
Warm layers, a windproof and waterproof jacket, a hat, gloves, sunscreen, sunglasses, water and snacks. Mornings are cold at 4,000 m and above, and the sun is strong once it’s up. Each tour page has a full packing list.
Trekking
Rainbow Mountain vs Humantay Lake: Which Day Hike?
Two famous day hikes from Cusco compared: altitude and effort, scenery, crowds, weather and fees, whether to do both, and the quieter 7 Lakes of Ausangate.
6 min read
Cusco
Things to Do in Cusco: A Local’s List
What to see and do in Cusco, from the Qorikancha and the Inca walls to San Blas, the San Pedro market and the Inca sites above the city, with tips from our team.
9 min readCusco
Cusco Altitude: How to Acclimatize and Avoid Altitude Sickness
How high Cusco is, what the altitude feels like, a calm plan for your first 48 hours, why starting in the Sacred Valley helps and how many days to allow before a trek.
7 min read
Plan your trip
Planning Your Days in Cusco?
Tell us when you arrive and how many free days you have. We’ll suggest an order that helps you acclimatize and fits what you want to see.